We starting talking about this in a different thread, but wanted it to continue. In watching the Kings/Blues game today, I saw the perfect example of why goals are down. Check out this low quality pic I took of a paused net cam.

We starting talking about this in a different thread, but wanted it to continue. In watching the Kings/Blues game today, I saw the perfect example of why goals are down. Check out this low quality pic I took of a paused net cam. Remember that pads are supposed to keep the goalie from being hurt.Posted by Not-A-Shot

Yeah Nas, it sure looks like that extra 6-8 inches at the top of the pad is used more for stopping pucks than it is for protection.

Great shot. about 6" of extra "padding" above the knee, and at least 2" extending all along the pad from knee to skate blade. The impact is multiplied many times over when the goalie is out from the net, as they usually are. They need to trim it back, just a little, to encourage attacking.

They said they would have made the equipment smaller 2 summers ago then the talked quieted down and then I never heard another peep by the time pre-season started. I don't even know if they tweaked anything .Crowls, good pics on Miller. Look wide he is on top ! That chest protector is ridiculous!I really don't like the idea of making the nets bigger, I'de prefer they do something about the equipment and smaller jerseys,

They said they would have made the equipment smaller 2 summers ago then the talked quieted down and then I never heard another peep by the time pre-season started. I don't even know if they tweaked anything . Crowls, good pics on Miller. Look wide he is on top ! That chest protector is ridiculous! I really don't like the idea of making the nets bigger, I'de prefer they do something about the equipment and smaller jerseys,Posted by BsLegion

New measurements will bring goalies down to size

Good picture NAS, good pictures Crowls. Is this one piece of the six (or so) point plan to increase scoring and erode the effectiveness of the trap? I say Yes.

Perhaps there are some angles where the knee becomes exposed to the shot without some overlap of that pad, but surely it doesn't need to overlap by that much. That picture is a perfect illustration how much these things can cut down on the spots for a shooter to hit when facing the goalie.

Maybe Soxfan, or Kel can help me out on this. I just bought brand new Baurer RX's 32 + 1's. And yes there is a little bit of an overlap above my knee, but not that freakin' much! So here's what I'm guessing is going on. They made the adjustment to the wideth of the pads. blockers & trappers, but they haven't touched the length of the pads. The reason they haven't done this is because the goalie's are all so tall. Not necessarily big, because Miller & Rask are tooth picks. Rinne & Linback are 6 5" & 6 6" & aren't hulking dudes. I find it intriguing how Quick is using this much extra length & still able to move the way he does.

As far as the arm gear goes? In all honesty the bulkyness is needed to cushion the blows. Firing on average at an approximate rate of 91mph for NHL players & without any research I have no idea how many lbs per square inch that is. Yes the bulkyness certainly reduces the chances to score, but it you don't allow any bulkness the goalie's would be getting hurt a lot. Something has to take the brute force of the power behind these bullets! Don't believe me; try playing goal against just decent to good hockey players with these composite sticks they use. Try wearing a set of arm pads from even 10yrs ago & tell me how you feel afterwards.

To put it simply, in a hypothetical situation where Zdeno Chara plays in the 70s and starts unleashing that 109 mph slap shot he has and against all odds hits the net, the goalie making the save would probably be severely injured because of the lack of padding they have. i dont know if this is just another thing for you morons to stupidly debate, but my opinion, being an actual hockey guy, players are getting stronger and the shots these guys have reflects it. if goalies dont have enough protection they will get severely injured.

Maybe Soxfan, or Kel can help me out on this. I just bought brand new Baurer RX's 32 + 1's. And yes there is a little bit of an overlap above my knee, but not that freakin' much! So here's what I'm guessing is going on. They made the adjustment to the wideth of the pads. blockers & trappers, but they haven't touched the length of the pads. The reason they haven't done this is because the goalie's are all so tall. Not necessarily big, because Miller & Rask are tooth picks. Rinne & Linback are 6 5" & 6 6" & aren't hulking dudes. I find it intriguing how Quick is using this much extra length & still able to move the way he does. As far as the arm gear goes? In all honesty the bulkyness is needed to cushion the blows. Firing on average at an approximate rate of 91mph for NHL players & without any research I have no idea how many lbs per square inch that is. Yes the bulkyness certainly reduces the chances to score, but it you don't allow any bulkness the goalie's would be getting hurt a lot. Something has to take the brute force of the power behind these bullets! Don't believe me; try playing goal against just decent to good hockey players with these composite sticks they use. Try wearing a set of arm pads from even 10yrs ago & tell me how you feel afterwards. Posted by nitemare-38

If you can't take the shots, get a quicker glove or get out of the net!

I'd be surprised if the average NHL shot was 91MPH. That's "hardest shot" quality. Most shots are not full power slap shots. In fact, very few full power slap shots ever hit the net.

20 years ago, Al Iafrate and Al MacInnis were blasting away at over 100MPH. I don't recall a slew of injured goalies because the shots were too hard and their gear wasn't good enough. "Oh, the sticks are too good" is a typical goalie excuse for gaining an edge with overstuffed gear.

And if the padding is so high quality, why do most goalies go down like they've been shot when a foward breathes on them?

In Response to Re: Why Goal Scoring Is Down : If you can't take the shots, get a quicker glove or get out of the net! I'd be surprised if the average NHL shot was 91MPH. That's "hardest shot" quality. Most shots are not full power slap shots. In fact, very few full power slap shots ever hit the net. 20 years ago, Al Iafrate and Al MacInnis were blasting away at over 100MPH. I don't recall a slew of injured goalies because the shots were too hard and their gear wasn't good enough. "Oh, the sticks are too good" is a typical goalie excuse for gaining an edge with overstuffed gear. And if the padding is so high quality, why do most goalies go down like they've been shot when a foward breathes on them? Posted by Not-A-Shot

Defensemen stand in shooting lanes and block shots all the time, with far less padding. Forwards routinely hurl their bodies and unprotected faces in front of shots every game.

How can this possibly happen? The shots must be softer than the ones the goalies face.

I would agree but here is one of my pet peeves, as we complain about goalie equipment the net stays the same demensions. So if you don't want to go wide then go up on the net size in proportion to the net change of goal tender sizes from 1950 (man they were short and skinny back then) to the size of the goalies now. So one foot height in the net negates the debate on the equipment. If you really get picky then go one foot in width in the net. Then scoring will increase. One last question what do you use as a standard to measure the goalie pads etc. today, then if they are too big what do you do? Why bother increase the size of the net!

I like Crowls point here. If the shots have gotten so much harder and are so dangerous to block, why are we experiencing a never-before-seen phenomenon of players on every team doggedly blocking shots as part of their basic duties. Players with far less padding than the goalies are willingly, and continuously, diving in front of shots to block them these days. Not saying that's such a great idea and guys do get injured sometimes, but it sure does take the steam out of the goalies' claim that a reduction in their massive padding would be too dangerous to even consider. Hockey has risk, always has.

Playing goalie has always been a dangerous position and those who do it have a lot of courage. I don't envy them. Looks miserable to me. But I also don't like the pictures we see above where the basic "shooter-tutor" locations where skilled players aim the puck are totally blocked by padding that is 6 inches+ away from the skin.

Or maybe we should just ask "BostonFan07" above -- he's "an actual hockey guy". Whooooooooaaa. A classic self-description of a jock-sniffing poser. Priceless...

I certainly can't disagree with much of anything on this thread. I can see how goalies wouldn't want to "give anything back". Human nature. I do though, as fletch says, think slightly modifying goalie gear is one of "the 6 or so" things that should be looked at.I think it's really important to remember what it is we're all annoyed about, and it's a phenom that only got in high gear in the last month or so... goalie gear was the same size last year, so thats not really the root cause.

I certainly can't disagree with much of anything on this thread. I can see how goalies wouldn't want to "give anything back". Human nature. I do though, as fletch says, think slightly modifying goalie gear is one of "the 6 or so" things that should be looked at. I think it's really important to remember what it is we're all annoyed about, and it's a phenom that only got in high gear in the last month or so... goalie gear was the same size last year, so thats not really the root cause.Posted by stevegm

Goalie gear was also a discussion last year, as was low scoring games.

I think it's always an issue, but we are watching some dreadful hockey playoffs this year. Not just because the Bruins are out. As a hockey fan, all of the fun teams have been eliminated by less talented groups. Even Philly now is on the brink. No Pitt, Phil, Bos, Van, Chi, SJ...and Was, who was fun, is now playing garbage hockey more than anyone. A year ago Washington was one of the most fun teams to watch. We are seeing an awful trend in the NHL this playoff. So people are talking about it.

the Rangers really need to win, Its gonna be ugly next season if everyone starts playing the kind of hockey the capitals are doing. I still can't get over the extend to which the Capitals don't even try to score when they are up a goal. not only to they not forecheck, they don't even try for possession. Imagine an entire season of watching teams like toronto doing the same thing, they will just rest guys like Kessel and only put them out cherry pickin when the other team ties it up. plus they wont have to risk injury to key players. and any time a team like the Bruins try to play real hockey you will see Seguin get plastered by the latest goon of the week type fill in player thats only there to block shots and eat suspensions.

I dunno, might need to bring back the two line pass as odd as that sounds for generating offense.

the Rangers really need to win, Its gonna be ugly next season if everyone starts playing the kind of hockey the capitals are doing. I still can't get over the extend to which the Capitals don't even try to score when they are up a goal. not only to they not forecheck, they don't even try for possession. Imagine an entire season of watching teams like toronto doing the same thing, they will just rest guys like Kessel and only put them out cherry pickin when the other team ties it up. plus they wont have to risk injury to key players. and any time a team like the Bruins try to play real hockey you will see Seguin get plastered by the latest goon of the week type fill in player thats only there to block shots and eat suspensions. I dunno, might need to bring back the two line pass as odd as that sounds for generating offense.Posted by BruinsNumber4

Thomas wore the same exact size pads last year as Quick, right down to the plus sizing..I couldn't find a thread complaining about them though.Posted by kelvana33

I don't think anyone is insinuating that the Bruins are at any kind of competitive disadvantage as a result of the issue, and plenty of posts have been made over the past few years discussing this topic.

Said a little differently, Thomas & Rask are equal-opportunity users of the maximum sized gear. The pics of Miller could easily have been of Rask and told the same story.